Games Don’t Get Any Easier For Paulauskas

03.11.2009

TEO Vilnius coach Rutenis Paulauskas hopes his side will avoid becoming the second from the Baltics to crash to a heavy defeat to Ros Casares when the teams clash in the EuroLeague Women on Wednesday evening.

Ros Casares destroyed TTT Riga 118-38 last week in Valencia while Paulauskas' outfit was blown away in the second half at UMMC Ekaterinburg and lost 85-56.

"I think our group is the strongest of the EuroLeague," he said.

"We have four national champions in the group and the winner of the EuroCup Women (Galatasaray).

"We respect all of them.

"In any case, we hope to qualify for the second phase.

"We have a totally new group, with many players that have no experience in the EuroLeague, but we are certain that, if we continue to work hard, we will become strong."

One might think that Paulauskas and TEO have caught a break with Spain's Amaya Valdemoro ruled out of the contest because of a muscular injury in her left leg.

But Valdemoro didn't play last week, either, and Ros Casares still won by an eye-popping 80 points.

Youngster Begona Pallardo, who made her Liga Femenina debut a few weeks ago at 17 years of age, will replace Valdemoro in Isma Santo's squad.